Sean “Diddy” Combs faces a pivotal moment in his career and legacy. With a federal jury now deliberating his fate in his wildly publicized criminal sex trafficking and RICO trial, the spotlight has been shed on the intersection of fame, power, and the American justice system. While the Manhattan jury deliberates on the evidence, witnesses, and testimony, we compiled a list of seven high-profile celebrity criminal cases with actual verdicts that have made the world stop and take notice.
From acquittals that shocked the world or relieved supporters to emphatic convictions that ended careers, we will leave it up to you to decide how the so-called justice system speaks to the fame game.
Michael Jackson – Acquitted (2005)
In 2005, pop icon Michael Jackson stood trial in Santa Maria, California, facing 10 felony charges, including child molestation and providing alcohol to a minor. The allegations came from a 13-year-old boy who had appeared in Martin Bashir’s 2003 documentary Living with Michael Jackson. After a four-month spectacle, a jury found Jackson not guilty on all counts, bringing an end to a trial that polarized fans and skeptics worldwide.
O.J. Simpson – Acquitted (1995)
The People vs. O.J. Simpson was perhaps the most infamous criminal trial in American history, at least when it comes to celebrities, if you discount Al Capone and John Gotti, since they were mobsters who acted like celebs. The former NFL superstar was charged in the 1994 double murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. O.J. assembled what would be known as the legal “dream team,” led by the late great Johnnie Cochran. The trial was televised, must-see TV, and in some ways held the nation captivated, at every motion, witness, and objection. The case exposed racial and class divisions in America, with even a former detective taking the 5th amendment when asked if he planted evidence. Then there were the infamous gloves! What a time to be alive. After 133 days in court, the jury found Simpson not guilty in October 1995 and with that decision a verdict that remains one of the most debated in legal history. O.J. Simpson died of cancer in 2024.
Donald J. Trump – Convicted (2024)
In a first for a former U.S. president, Donald Trump (now POTUS) stood trial in Manhattan in 2024 on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments made during the 2016 election. A stone-cold former POTUS stood trial for crimes. Prosecutors argued the so-called cover-up was part of a broader conspiracy to influence the election. Millions believed this, btw. After a six-week trial, Trump was convicted on all counts, making him the first former president in American history to be criminally convicted and setting the stage for unprecedented political and legal consequences. But he won the election that year, so what did that do for or to him? Time will tell.
R. Kelly – Convicted (2021)
After decades of salacious allegations, R&B singer R. Kelly faced federal charges in Brooklyn in 2021, including racketeering, sexual exploitation of children, and sex trafficking. Prosecutors described him as the leader of a criminal enterprise that systematically preyed on underage girls. In September 2021, the jury found him guilty on all counts, and in 2022, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Kelly was later also convicted in a separate federal case in Chicago for producing child pornography. Absolutely crazy.
Harvey Weinstein – Convicted (2020)
Mega film producer and former boss of The Weinstein Company, Harvey Weinstein, was the center and maybe even the catalyst of the ongoing #MeToo movement after dozens of women accused him of sexual misconduct. In 2020, a New York jury found Weinstein guilty of third degree rape and a first-degree criminal sexual act. However, he was acquitted on the most serious charges of predatory sexual assault. He received a 23-year prison sentence. Weinstein continues his legal fight to this day to no avail.
A$AP Rocky – Acquitted (2025)
In 2025, A$AP Rocky (Rakim Mayers) stood trial in Los Angeles on two counts of felony assault with a firearm stemming from a 2021 incident in which he was accused of shooting at his former friend and A$AP Mob associate, A$AP Relli (Terell Ephron), causing minor injuries. The alleged shooting supposedly went down during a dispute in Los Angeles. Prosecutors alleged Rocky had pointed and fired a handgun at Relli during the confrontation. The trial drew widespread attention due to Rocky’s A-list status within the culture, and some say, internal tensions within the successful A$AP collective. After approximately three hours of jury deliberation, A$AP Rocky was found not guilty on all charges, clearing him of the serious allegations and allowing him to avoid prison time. That part.
Aaron Hernandez – Mixed Verdicts (2015, 2017)
Probably as wild as the O.J. trial when it comes to a criminal case involving an athlete, but not quite as high profile, former NFL tight end Aaron Hernandez was first tried in 2015 for the murder of Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player and boyfriend of his fiancée’s sister. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. But in a separate 2017 trial, Hernandez was acquitted of a double homicide involving a 2012 drive-by shooting in Boston. Unreal. Dude was an All-Pro Tight End. Just days after the second verdict, he was found dead in his prison cell after an apparent suicide. Like we said, unreal.
Now: Sean “Diddy” Combs – Jury Decision Pending
In case you missed it or have been comfortably insulated from the toxicity behind this case, Sean Combs’ criminal legal troubles stem from a sprawling federal investigation into alleged sex trafficking and RICO crimes. Multiple civil lawsuits have been filed separately from this federal case, not to mention federal raids were executed on his massive properties earlier this year. While Combs maintains his innocence, an impending jury verdict looms.
From O.J. to Weinstein, celebrity trials become cultural litmus tests that some say expose fault lines in the justice system and shape public conversations around accountability, privilege, and power.
Soon, we will know whether privilege, power, or the truth will determine the fate of a man who influenced an entire era of Hip-Hop and pop culture.
Stay tuned.